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Vietnam combat veteran starts new chapter in life with aqua therapy

Dan Reilly for United Way of Broome County
Published 8:00 a.m. ET Dec. 12, 2018

Jack Burnett credits United Way of Broome County’s partnership with the Binghamton’s YMCA Senior Wellness Program for introducing him to Aqua Group Exercise a little over a year ago.(Photo: United Way of Broome County)

Jack Burnett can put his socks on by himself now. He’s lost 31 pounds this year. He’s always itching to get out for some more hiking and fly-fishing. And he doesn’t rely on a wheelchair or walker anymore.

The soon-to-be 69-year-old says he feels like he’s 25, and credits United Way of Broome County’s partnership with the Binghamton’s YMCA Senior Wellness Program for introducing him to Aqua Group Exercise a little over a year ago.

United Way of Broome County provides funding to programs like YMCA’s Aqua Group Exercise to help people in the community overcome life’s challenges and meet their basic needs — including health and wellness, safety, shelter and food — which allows them to build a better life. For Jack, this mission was accomplished.

“When I was about 62 I started noticing a little pain in my back and it got worse and worse,” he recalls. “I couldn't even walk a block anymore. I had to get doctors to cut my toenails.”

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Jack Burnett credits United Way of Broome County’s partnership with the Binghamton YMCA Senior Wellness Program for his mobility.
United Way of Broome County, Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

So, Jack turned to the Department of Veterans Affairs. His injury didn’t stem from the two tours he served there as an explosives expert — it was from 30 years of working in plumbing and heating, and just having old bones, as he’ll joke — but they owed him for that service.

He waited for five years to get a diagnosis of needing a hip replacement, all while going from cane to walker and gaining a significant amount of weight, which put further stress on his body.

The surgery helped, but he was one of the patients who still felt pain even after lengthy physical therapy. Then, a representative from the YMCA came to the center where he was trying to heal at a normal rate and explained aqua therapy. With nothing to lose, he gave it a shot and fell in love right away.

“The pool has been a really big deal for me. I had a choice in life: Be a cripple and have no function and be a pain in the ass,” he jokes, “or be a strong and healthy pain in the ass.”

Jack started with a strength-building, pain-relieving class called Rusty Hinges, a program funded by United Way of Broome County. Many programs and projects that come to life in Broome County — including Rusty Hinges — are made possible through United Way’s 100% Promise: The nonprofit organization sends 100% of donations directly to its community-based projects and programs.

“They have a variety of jumping jacks, squats, all kinds of twisting and bending without any weight lifting, standing in waist-deep water,” he explains. “I brag about it — I can do 150 knee bends I couldn’t do when I started. I used to only be able to lift my toes and now I can bring my foot out of the water. Now I can stretch out like a ballerina.”

His routine is to do three two-hour sessions per week in a group class, followed by an hour of free swimming — everything from the backstroke to the doggy paddle. “It’s the best thing I can plan on doing for the next three days of my life,” he says.

The classes, as Jack says, are mentally therapeutic as well, and not just for old folks. There are people of all ages, some injured in car accidents and some recovering from serious illnesses. He hopes more people of his generation gain access to similar therapeutic outlets, because during his second tour in Vietnam, he had a mental breakdown, after seeing his friends killed in combat. He says his mental health improved with time, but believes that the more vets like him who are in therapy, the better.

Jack’s restored health has also allowed him to continue performing as the lead singer of a rock band with fellow Vietnam veterans — the band’s named “360,” because they’ve all “been around the block,” Jack jokes. They often perform shows for younger soldiers, where they also serve as mentors.

Ever the entertainer, Jack’s back on stage — both in regional clubs and at the YMCA. “I was having to give up doing that because I couldn't stand for long periods without having something to support me,” he says. “That's all gone. I can stand up there with the best of them.”

His penchant for singing while he’s in the pool swimming led the YMCA to ask him to help entertain a class. And it became a hit. He now has a weekly gig helping keep people smiling and motivated while they exercise, and he helps make music playlists for the instructors, too.

“It's just a fun time,” Jack explains. “I like to go to work.” The downside to this newfound, unique local fame? “The ladies are always inviting me (out) for dinner. That's not a good thing for me and my wife Leah,” he says, chuckling.

He missed a few gigs recently, only because he had to do the heavy lifting of moving into a new house, but he’s looking forward to returning soon. You might also catch him around town, walking in foot-deep snow with his cane, (which he doesn’t really need but likes to have just in case there’s a slippery patch), or hiking when the weather is warm.

“There's a variety of therapies for different people. Water therapy is a winner,” Jack says. “I'll stand on the highest mountain and say that.”

And thanks to United Way and its donors, this unique form of therapy helps many in Broome County every day.

Learn more about how United Way of Broome County helps makes a difference in citizens’ lives by providing support and community resources. Consider a donation today — 100% of it will be sent to fund projects and programs.

Members of the editorial and news staff of the USA Today Network were not involved in the creation of this content.